Israel expands Gaza operation, targeting Hamas infrastructure

The Israeli Air Force and artillery carried out massive strikes on Hamas infrastructure in the southern and central parts of the Gaza Strip during the night of April 1 to 2.

Following this, IDF ground forces began to expand their operations in Rafah, where residents were instructed two days ago to leave the city and move to a humanitarian zone, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media.

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the expansion of the operation with the goal of destroying Hamas infrastructure and extending the security zone.

Katz urged Gaza residents to rise up against Hamas and return the kidnapped Israelis, emphasizing that this is the only way to end the war.

This escalation follows the breakdown of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that had been in effect since January 19, 2025. The ceasefire officially ended on March 18, leading to resumed hostilities. Since then, Israeli air and ground operations have resulted in significant casualties and displacement. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that over 634 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks between March 18 and March 22, bringing the total Palestinian death toll since October 2023 to approximately 50,399. ​

By Khagan Isayev